8 out-of-the-ordinary hummus recipes

In its purest form,
hummus is smooth, creamy dipping bliss. We don't deny that the typical chickpea-garlic-olive oil combination is as close as it gets to perfection – but why stop there? With or without chickpeas, baked or raw, these delicious recipes call themselves "hummus" and we're not complaining:

Autumn Hummus

One variation of an autumn-inspired hummus recipe: not just pumpkin, but butternut squash, too! (Photo: Stonesoup/Flickr)

Black Bean Hummus

Black bean hummus is a protein-packed option for vegans and vegetarians. (Photo: newwavegurly/Flickr)

Sub chickpeas for black beans and you've got an equally easy dip with lots of potential. This brilliant
black bean hummus recipe from Simple Bites adds just the right amount of cilantro and cumin, opening the door for all sorts of Southwest-inspired pairings.

Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus

Kevin Lynch of Closet Cooking says sun-dried tomato hummus is one of his absolute favorite variations. "Sun-dried tomatoes are just packed with flavour and they go really well in a creamy hummus base," he writes in the intro to the
recipe for his version. Lynch says you can rehydrate dehydrated sun-dried tomatoes or drain the oil from packaged ones – then simply throw them in the blender with the other ingredients for a flavorful veggie dip.

Tzatziki Hummus

Tzatziki and hummus go so well together that someone decided to mix them! (Photo: Jill Chen/Shutterstock)

You see them sitting there, right next to each other, at your favorite Mediterranean restaurant, neatly separated into their respective tiny dishes. Well, we've got a tip for you: it's OK to mix hummus and tzatziki. Delicious, even.

"Lighter and fresher than the typical dip, crisp cucumbers add textural contrast so often missing from hummus," Hannah Kaminsky of BitterSweet
explains on her recipe.

Edamame Hummus

Add some cilantro to your edamame hummus recipe for an even fresher taste. (Photo: Herbmother/Flickr)

Edamame takes the place of garbanzo beans in this refreshing "hummus" – just cook and shell the edamame and add the typical ingredients, plus fresh herbs. Check out the
Oh My Veggies recipe here.

Piquillo Pepper Hummus

Red bell peppers go seamlessly with hummus, so why not add a little piquillo pepper to the mix? It's an easy addition that will sweeten up your hummus in no time. For a simple recipe, head over to
Holly's Helpings.

Roasted Red Beet Hummus

For a splash of fuchsia and an earthy flavor, consider adding roasted red beets to the equation. Bonus: Keep the greens and saute them in olive oil for an extra dose of fiber and vitamin C. Our favorite recipe comes from beet-crazy chef Jerry James Stone – check it out here.

Raw Zucchini Hummus

Perfect as a dip or salad dressing, zucchini hummus isn't just vegetarian – it's a raw, vegan, Paleo option. In short, it fits with any diet. In her
Raw Bean-Free Hummus recipe, Megan of Detoxinista explains another advantage: zucchini has a greater balance with tahini when it comes to "food combining," the concept that you should eat foods that take similar amounts of time to digest in your stomach, preventing digestive issues and bloating. It appears that zucchini hummus takes the cake when it comes to clean, healthy eating.